See you round Edith's House

I have been meaning to get to Edith’s House for a while now – ever since I saw a snapshot of the interior on Twitter… I fell instantly in love.

They are one of Crouch End’s newest arrivals and as soon as I entered the café, a bolt of nostalgia hit me between the eyes. The decor is from an era gone by and I was smacked in the face with waves of Dot Cotton, my grandma and memories of boiled sweeties in tins…

The first Edith’s House is situated in Rye and the second is now nestled on the Broadway in Crouch End, welcoming everyone into its wonderful, cosy, happy home.

The hallway…

Hanging out in the parlour…

And a real home it is – you walk in through the front door straight into the front room, complete with electric fire, vintage wall paper, melamine nicknacks and an armchair to end all armchairs.

Walk through the house and you’ll find a dining room, a bathroom, a bedroom, a loft… and all manner of little nooks and crannies, with every spare spot cleverly designed to accommodate a chair or two… so you may find yourself sitting on the loo eating a scone, or settling yourself in the parlour, to guzzle a fantastic avocado on toast…

Perching on the loo…

The dressing room

Edith’s front door

Guinness Cake.

The sewing room…

So how did this all come about? The owner Eaton James and his partner were both disenchanted with their lives as actors and were desperate to find some other career that kind of involved entertaining with a theatrical twist… and something that also combined their passion for coffee and baking.

They came up with the idea of creating a café that felt as comfortable as a home, and ta da, Edith’s House was born. Edith is actually Eaton’s Nana, who is still going strong at 95 years old! The first café – Edith’s House in Rye, East Sussex – has been busy for the last three years, but the owners were feeling the pull back to London… and boom, Edith’s House in Crouch End arrived. (Hurrah!)

It was Edith who taught Eaton to bake and she absolutely loves the cafés, as do all the folk who stumble across them…and then can’t believe their luck…